Main accused in Asma murder case has fled to Saudi Arabia: police

Published January 29, 2018
Asma was a third-year student at a medical college in Abbottabad — Photo by author.
Asma was a third-year student at a medical college in Abbottabad — Photo by author.

A special team was formed on Monday to investigate the killing of Asma Rani, a third-year medical student who was reportedly shot dead in Kohat on Saturday for refusing a marriage proposal.

District Police Officer (DPO) Abbas Majeed Marwat formed a team comprising six senior police officials to resolve the case.

The DPO also said the Federal Investigation Agency had been approached for the issuance of red warrants against the accused.

According to police, Asma had been visiting her family in Kohat during a session break when the prime accused, Mujahid Afridi, and his accomplice, Sajid, reportedly opened fire on her, fleeing the crime scene soon after.

The victim had received three bullets and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she had identified Mujahid as the assailant before succumbing to her injuries on Sunday.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police on Monday also confirmed that Afridi had successfully managed to flee to Saudi Arabia from Benazir Bhutto Airport Islamabad on an Umrah visa right after the murder.

The victim's family had informed police that the suspect is the relative of a local leader of a political party. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, however, told DawnNews that so far the police has faced no political pressure in probing the case.

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